Chapter 19
“Your Majesty felt such emotions for another person? Truly? The same Your Majesty who resembles an ancient magic weapon draped in human skin?”
“Your jokes are peculiar. So, are you saying my mother gave birth to a magic weapon?”
“It’s not amusing at all, so you needn’t bother trying to return my jest.”
Duke Martinez waved her hand dismissively.
She glanced sideways at Nell for a moment, then leaned forward and whispered.
“Is it true? Are you truly considering welcoming that lady as Empress?”
“By ‘that lady,’ you mean Marcella?”
“Who else would it be? I know you can be infuriating, but stop being so vexing and speak plainly! Are you seriously planning to propose, or what?!”
“As for proposing, I already have.”
“Huh?”
“I did so today.”
Martinez recoiled in surprise.
She looked at Nell, shaking her head from side to side while uttering exclamations of astonishment.
“Your Majesty, it seems the ancient magic weapon is more hot-blooded than I thought. It looks like there will be a grand event in the Imperial family soon. The only grand events we’ve had were storms of blood, so it’s about time we scattered some flower petals. I must immediately order the warehouse filled with petals.”
“If you wish to buy petals, that’s fine.”
“Yes, I’ll buy them. So passionately that they’ll suffocate that lady with their floral scent.”
“Marcella hasn’t even accepted yet, so her suffocating would be problematic.”
Duke Martinez, who had been lightly crossing her arms and pondering which flowers and what color petals to purchase, paused.
When she lifted her head, Nell was still gazing at her with the same expression as before.
“What does that mean now?”
“What does what mean?”
“The ‘acceptance’ part! What? Does that lady dislike grand weddings? Does she want a modest ceremony?”
“I don’t know.”
Frustrated by Nell’s cryptic and vexing answer, Martinez clicked her tongue and looked at Arthur. He remained silent, his lips tightly sealed, lost in thought.
“Arthur Digory! Don’t just stand there dumbfounded, you tell me. Did His Majesty propose or not?”
When Martinez asked, Arthur only moved his eyes to look at Duke Martinez.
As Duke Martinez scowled, Arthur let out a sigh.
“He did.”
“Then what in the world does this ‘acceptance’ business mean? Did she say she dislikes the wedding itself?”
“Something similar.”
“Arthur Digory, the reason I’m asking you is so you can explain in a simple and clear manner that I can understand.”
As Martinez grew angry, Arthur let out a deep sigh, then grinned.
“To put it simply and clearly so even you, Duke, can understand: It is true that His Majesty proposed to Lady Marcella. It is also true that he did not receive acceptance.”
“So, what kind of acceptance is that?!”
Martinez shouted, exasperated. Arthur then let out a series of short, clipped laughs.
“The proposal, Martinez.”
“Huh?”
“He proposed and didn’t get that proposal accepted.”
“…Was he rejected, or something?”
Neither Arthur nor Nell answered.
Martinez was so flabbergasted she laughed. What flowers for a wedding?
It seemed like the Emperor needed to be handed a bouquet of flowers to court that lady.
“Arthur Digory, tell me. How did it come to this?”
“Didn’t you say you didn’t care what kind of romance His Majesty engaged in, Duke?”
“Can one-sided affection from His Majesty be called a romance?”
Arthur just smiled and stared silently at Martinez.
Martinez scowled and met his gaze head-on. That rascal wouldn’t just keep quiet.
“So? Did the lady who rejected His Majesty return to Morris?”
“No. How could I possibly just let her go?”
Of course. That malicious fiend who would stop at nothing for the Emperor’s affairs wouldn’t just let her go.
“Although she declined His Majesty’s offer, she is staying comfortably in a detached residence. By the way, now that you’ve heard all this information, you’ll naturally help us, right, Duke?”
“Arthur Digory, what nonsense are you spouting?”
“Are you saying you’ll pretend not to know after hearing the whole situation?”
Martinez was irritated by the smug smile of the fatherless Arthur.
“It’s fine, you can do that. I happen to know the trivial fact that your husband’s lustrous, flowing hair is actually a magically attached wig, but that’s an unrelated matter.”
“How do you know that?!”
“How about it? Will you help His Majesty and receive his gratitude? Or will you comfort your wounded husband?”
Duke Martinez gritted her teeth and glared at Arthur. A vein bulged prominently on her forehead.
Arthur beamed at her, clapping his hands together with his fingers tapping against each other.
“The Duke is a true lover.”
“Cut it out, you fatherless Arthur.”
“I may be fatherless, but I do have hair.”
“I will speak again tomorrow.”
Nell interjected to the two who were engaged in a battle of nerves. Their heads turned simultaneously.
“What did you say?”
“I said I will propose again tomorrow.”
Duke Martinez’s eyes shot toward Arthur.
Arthur desperately searched for words, but they wouldn’t come easily. Tomorrow, do what again?
“Your Majesty, what is that face? Are you expecting the lady who rejected you today to accept tomorrow?”
“You sound quite similar to Marcella.”
“Arthur Digory.”
“Yes, Duke.”
“Let’s lay our cards on the table and speak frankly. What are the chances of success?”
The corner of Arthur’s mouth stretched sideways.
“The lower the odds, the more thrilling the pleasure when you succeed, isn’t that right?”
“…Arthur Digory, do as you please. I feel sorry for Charlie, but he’ll get used to that level of mockery; it’ll become comfortable for him.”
“Duke.”
“Having only heard the story, the complete lack of hope isn’t because I’m pessimistic. I’m actually a very positive person by nature.”
Arthur snorted a laugh.
When Martinez glared at him, he smiled brightly as if nothing had happened.
“Now is the time to exercise that positive disposition. I heard you also worked very hard to win your husband’s love. Could you think of it as similar to that?”
“At least my proposal succeeded, which is why Charlie is my husband.”
“Duke, Lady Marcella is merely seventeen. Naturally, she was shocked and refused when His Majesty suddenly proposed. She must have been frightened too.”
“…So, how are we supposed to salvage His Majesty’s ruined love?”
“Ruined love? His Majesty failed in his proposal now, but did he fail in love?”
Martinez glared at Arthur, then sighed.
Arthur grinned, grabbed Martinez’s shoulder, and shook it.
“Now, now, how can anyone get everything right from the start? But if our positive lover, Duke Martinez, helps out a little here and there, what is there to fear? Nothing!”
Martinez sighed again as she received the impromptu massage.
“Your Majesty, the proposal is for later. Understood? Don’t go get rejected like a fool and come back again.”
“Calling His Majesty a fool, Duke?”
“By the way, how exactly were you rejected?”
Arthur tried to caution Martinez, but she snorted.
* * *
Only then did Nell realize that despite Duke Martinez saying the proposal should be for later, he had proposed again.
He was sure he had agreed with her, but at her words to pretend yesterday’s proposal never happened, the words had slipped out before he knew it.
“Marcella.”
When he called her name, she flinched again. Indeed, as Martinez and Arthur said, the sequence was wrong, and proposing again seemed to be the problem.
“If you wish, we can also forget today’s proposal.”
Nell waited for Marcella’s expression to soften.
However, Marcella’s expression did not soften easily. Instead of softening, it only grew worse.
Didn’t she make that same face and leave her shoes behind the night Tamarin played a prank on her? Tamarin isn’t even here now, so why is she making that face?
“Your expression isn’t softening.”
He even said they could forget the proposal.
Nell’s voice lowered, disappointed that Marcella’s expression didn’t soften. Marcella then flinched, visibly wary.
Those large eyes were still afraid of something.
Nell placed a hand on his temple and tilted his head.
Marcella, whom he met after three years, seemed like a different person from back then. But Marcella then must have been Marcella too.
Nell thought about what had changed since then.
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Marcella’s face was oddly contorted. Her complexion remained pale, and it was clear she was biting her lip hard. Nell’s own expression darkened in turn.
No matter how wary she was upon their reunion, during the several times they had tea together, as Manister said, as the time spent with her accumulated, he thought they had grown considerably closer. She didn’t seem to show signs of fearing anything.
But now, they were not close at all. It felt more distant than before.
“That is not what I wanted.”
Nell turned his head away from Marcella.
Arthur, who had been quietly observing Nell, frowned. Did His Majesty turn his head away because he was hurt? What is that expression?
“Lady Marcella, please don’t misunderstand. His Majesty only said that in hopes that you would not be so tense.”
Arthur offered an excuse for Nell. However, Marcella had already resolved never to trust Arthur Digory again.
“Then what do you want from me?”
Don’t be tense? How can one not be tense before the Emperor?
Marcella glanced furtively at Nell. He glanced back at her briefly, then turned his head away completely.
Marcella took a deep breath.
“If you wish to punish me, then punish me.”
“…Punish?”
Nell turned to look at Marcella, tilting his head. His eyes widened slightly—was it because of Marcella’s mood?
“You wish to be punished?”
“Yes, please punish me and—”
“My Lady!”
Arthur hastily interjected.
Marcella blinked in surprise at Arthur who had raised his voice.
“What are you saying! You, who should be treated as the most honored guest in this palace, speak of punishment? Such an inappropriate notion!”
